Analysis: Woman Leaning Near A Vase Of Flowers

Rachel Perkins
Hum 230

Woman Leaning near a Vase of Flowers Edgar Degas 1865 Oil painting on 29"x36 ½" canvas. This oil painting by Degas contains an enormous centerpiece of chrysanthemums,

painted with natural colors and realistic detail. To the left of the arrangement is a glass pitcher

full of water. Both of these items rest on a table covered by a earthy toned tablecloth with a

muted, indistinct pattern. Most interesting, is the woman on the right of the painting. She is

leaning back toward the flowers, with her elbow on the table and her her hand curled up near her

mouth. She is looking off into the distance; contemplating or daydreaming. Her placement in

the
picture seems haphazard, like it might have been an afterthought by the painter. The flower

arrangement itself has an approximate symmetrical balance, but the complete picture is

unbalanced due to the woman's placement.
I am left to wonder what is the intended focus of this

painting; the woman or the vase of flowers?

I close my eyes for a moment to see what my first focal point will be when looking at this

scene. I realize that while my eyes are closed I have a more vivid mental picture of the woman

than of the flowers. Upon opening my eyes I gaze first at the center of the picture, which is

probably a conditioned response to years of viewing compositions that place the focal point near

the center. The enormous collection of chrysanthemums in a vase is colorful and soothing. The

earthy tones used in this painting calm and comfort me. I enjoy the way it beckons me to

investigate it's details. This is not a painting that SCREAMS for attention as some of the modern

art works do, with their bright, bold colors and explosive lines. This is a painting that invites

you to ponder and daydream; to relax and take in the moment. Degas used natural, earthy colors

in this painting to encourage this feeling. The same painting in darker tones would be depressing

to look at. Brighter, unnatural colors would make me anxious and I would imagine the
woman

was worried. The carefully chosen palette of this painting works to produce a feeling of calm,

peace and tranquility.

I consider the difference between this painting and some of Degas other works. He is

known for his pastels featuring ballerinas and ladies bathing.
Woman at Her Toilette (1903)

captures a view of the backside of a lady drying her hair after a shower. The viewer's perspective

suggests that she is unaware of you presence. She is engrossed in her task. It makes the pastel

interesting because you feel you are catching a secret glimpse of this lady's life. Woman Leaning

near Vase of Flowers would not be nearly as interesting if the woman were turned away from us.

I am captivated by the dreamy, thoughtful expression on the woman's face. I get the same

feeling from this picture that I get from Woman at Her Toilette that the subject is unaware of our

presence. She is engrossed in her thoughts. Degas uses the viewer's vantage point to enhace the

expression of the artwork.

I consider the size of the canvas: 29"x36 1/2". This is about the size I would expect to

see above a sofa or fireplace as a focal point in a room. The scale of the flower arrangement

overpowers the woman. Perhaps the collection of flowers was meant to be an illustration of the

woman's thoughts. A variety of ideas uniting into a gorgeous centerpiece. The flowers fill
up

most of the space in this painting, just as the woman's thoughts overpower the space in her head.

The size of the flower arrangement indicates it should be the focus of the painting but my eyes

are continually drawn over to the daydreaming woman. A small arrangement of flowers would

not be as interesting because it's small scale would suggest that the woman must be the intended

focal point. I enjoy the mystery of trying to decide what I am suppose to be looking at. My eyes

are attracted to the human face despite all the compositional features which tell me the flowers

should be my focal point. Was Degas trying to show us that our attraction to other humans will

supersede? There is no way to know whether or not he intentionally positioned the woman to

compete with the flowers for our attention. But I do know this is why I find the painting so

intriguing. It keeps my eyes in motion between these two focal points. I would argue that Degas

intended both to be the focal points of this painting in order to captivate the viewer.